The weather is set to be a little more cloudier this weekend than late, but there aren’t too many showers so it’s ideal for getting out and about and here are some interesting events taking place across the country.

The Barmouth Walking Festival begins tomorrow (13th) and runs until the 22nd September. This well established event gives walkers of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy guided walks around the Mawddach Estuary and Southern Snowdonia. The walks are graded  A+-C, A+ being for experienced walkers who are looking for a challenge of both their physical fitness and their stamina, and C being a walk that can be completed with out undue stress that is at low level with plenty of opportunities to leave the walk and go back to the nearest village or town.  One that took my fancy was the A graded Barmouth to Dolgellau, an eleven mile walk that takes in the Barmouth railway bridge and the southern Mawddach Estuary featuring 1.300ft of ascent. As an alternative there is a short six miles walk (graded C) which takes in the Barmouth Historical Trail featuring Dinas Oleu which was the the first land given to the National Trust.

The Rossendale Walking Festival takes place this weekend, but with a twist as it forms part of the local Foodie Festival as well so all the walks involve food, never a bad thing in my opinion. Saturday gives you the alternative of The Hog Hike, a seven miles circular route around Whitworth ending up with a delicious hot roast pork sandwich, or The Silven Clod Sausage Stomp, again a circular route around Rawtenstall with a sausage sandwich waiting for you at journey’s end. Sunday offers the choice of The Soup Loop, a twelve mile hike from Bacup with a break at a local farm where hot home made soup is waiting, or The Cheese Breeze, a short two mile stroll for all the family at Cronkshaw Fold Farm with Lancashire cheese samples waiting for all. Think after these I would need another walk to work off the food.

Not exactly getting outdoors but for those taking part it will prove quite an experience. This Saturday evening sees the first ‘Sleepover On Top Of The Shard’. Yes some lucky people will be sleeping at The View and this is the first time that members of the public have been allowed overnight access. So a unique chance to ‘camp out’ at 800ft above the ground and see the dawn break over the city of London. Wow! Very jealous of this one.!

So plenty to do, just make sure you are dressed for the occasion, so check out the latest arrivals on the website, including some very neat items from Beaghaus, and get out and enjoy the weekend and all it has to offer.